I've put 130,000 miles on it myself over 10 years and serviced it every 5,000 or so miles, but that is still a lot of mileage to be piling 500 or so per week onto. Currently, I have a 2009 Land Rover Freelander 2 with 144,000 miles on it, going strong. "I'm about to go from 100% home-based to a 400/500-mile per week commute. It’s all very pleasant, like that aforementioned M&S sweater. You just feel detached from the driving experience, which isn’t something you could say about older Civic models. The same is true of the bonkers Civic Type R, which is the hardcore member of the Civic range.Įlsewhere, the Civic is less memorable to drive. The 1.8-litre petrol offers greater flexibility, but needs to be revved hard to get the best from it. We’d avoid the 1.4-litre petrol unless you’re looking for the lowest running costs. The 1.6-litre diesel is fine, but it lacks the refinement of the 2.2. The 2.2-litre diesel is a peach, offering punchy performance, superb efficiency and smooth running. The only problem is that the excellent 2.2-litre i-DTEC diesel engine was dropped from the range and replaced by a 1.6-litre i-DTEC diesel. It’s one of the reasons why we’d recommend a post-facelift Honda Civic. This comprises forward-collision warning, high beam support, blind-spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition, lane departure warning and cross traffic monitor.
#2013 HONDA CIVIC CITY CAR DRIVING 1.4.1 DRIVER#
Later models come with an City-Brake Active System as standard, along with the option of a larger Driver Assistance Pack. It’s also incredibly safe, with a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating to its name.
#2013 HONDA CIVIC CITY CAR DRIVING 1.4.1 PLUS#
On the plus side, the Honda Civic offers a generous level of kit, regardless of the trim. If you’re after soft-touch plastics and plush materials, this isn’t a car for you. If you appreciate tight panel gaps and narrow shut lines, the Civic is an engineering treat. This is a car that feels well-engineered, but it won’t impress you with its flashy interior. For even more space, you could opt for the roomy Civic Tourer (estate), but this review focuses on the hatchback. The boot is one of the largest in its class, with the famed ‘Magic Seats’ making this a truly versatile and flexible hatchback. Hats off to Honda for taking a different approach.Ī facelift was rolled out in 2015, with the Civic looking even more striking. It’s a sector that includes sales heavyweights like the Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra. You won’t mistake the Civic for any other car in the segment. Launched in 2012, this generation of the Civic picked up where the old model left off by boasting bold and interesting styling. Some people need little more than the knowledge that a car will be totally reliable between services, not cost a packet to run, and be comfortable and quiet on the move. The Sunday afternoon in front of a black and white movie.Īll of which is perfectly acceptable. It’s the M&S oversized sweater of the family hatchback segment. If we were writing a dating advert for the Honda Civic, these would be the first words out of the block.